Links Found Between Genetics &Aging - Can You Make Changes?

IN YOUR DAILY DOSE today is research from the University of Georgia that indicates a hormone which is under genetic control, has a significant influence on your aging process.

IN MAKING CHANGES today is one strategy you can use to increase your lifespan and health in the same process.

IN FACT OR FICTION you’ll discover the size of the smallest bird you’ll find. You may know what it is, but how small is it?

In The News

Studies in the past years have shown the hormone growth differentiation factor 11 will decrease over time as you age. When the levels of the hormone are reversed it had a positive impact on cardiovascular system in aging mice and led to muscle and brain rejuvenation.

Then scientists at the University of Georgia discovered that the levels of this hormone are determined by your genes. Researchers have outlined future studies that will attempt to determine why the levels of growth differentiation factor 11 decreases later in life and how they might be sustained in the body to prevent disease.

The study’s senior author, Rob Pazdro, assistant professor in the department of foods and nutrition at the University of Georgia was quoted in Science Daily, saying, “Finding that GDF11 levels are under genetic control is of significant interest. Since it is under genetic control, we can find the genes responsible for GDF11 levels and its changes with age,"

The choices you make daily also have an impact on the speed at which you age. Smoking, alcohol, exercise and nutrition all contribute to the process of aging and all of those factors you have control over. Stop smoking, limit your alcohol intake, sleep at least 8 hours each night and eat a balanced diet. When it comes to exercise there is one more thing you can do.

Making Changes

According to research, you can naturally increase your human growth hormone through specific types of exercise. Human growth hormone will increase your feelings of well-being, increase muscle growth and development and slow the aging process. In fact, there is a contingent of physicians and patients who take a synthetic hormone to artificially increase the levels.

However, the synthetic hormone is only safely made in two laboratories in the world and because it is highly fragile, it doesn’t travel well except in powder form. There are some long-term studies that indicate the artificial product, when you get the legitimate product, has negative effects on your health.

Using high impact interval training (HIIT) you can naturally raise your growth hormone and increase your calorie burn for up to 24 hours. During the most test strategy you perform any cardiovascular activity you enjoy and can change that activity from day to day. Warm up for 2-3 minutes. Then spend 30 seconds doing the activity at the highest intensity you can. You should feel like you can’t continue at the end of the 30 seconds.

Spend 90 seconds in an active cool down period using the same exercise. Then repeat another 30 second interval. Do eight fast intervals with 90 second cool downs and finish with another 3-4 minute cool down. The entire workout should take about 20 minutes and burn more calories, for longer period of time and increase your growth hormone - none of which your normal cardiovascular activity can accomplish.

PRIOR TO USING this form of exercise it is important that you talk with your doctor to be sure you are healthy enough for exercise and this particular type of exercise program.

My Daily Affirmation

I have conquered emotional eating.

In the past, I would use food to provide comfort in my life. Now, I eat to satisfy my hunger rather than my feelings. I can tell the difference between physical hunger and emotional hunger. The guilt of emotional eating is gone.

Fact Or Fiction?

The smallest bird is tiny and the fastest is faster than a Cheetah. You’ll be surprised by these quick facts about birds.

Birds are great pets for kids. Most live more than 5 years and some of the larger parrots can live up to 80 years. All birds have feathers, wings, lay eggs and are warm blooded. The Ostrich is the largest bird and has the fastest maximum running speed of 97 kph and the Bee Hummingbird is the smallest with a length of just 2 inches. Birds have hollow bones to lighten the load as the fly. However, some birds, like chickens and Kiwis, don’t fly. Some birds will actually create and use tools in their environment.